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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27784270">Stark Reality</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadewyn/pseuds/Cadewyn'>Cadewyn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, the death's only mentioned but I still wanted to tag it, this takes place during/after the Blip so</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:01:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,414</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27784270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadewyn/pseuds/Cadewyn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Slight AU after the events of Infinity War in which Tony Stark adopts a (therapy) horse.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stark Reality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired entirely by the fact my friend has a horse named Parker and I thought "Stark Reality" would be a good horse-show name. (He is not the same as described here, though, in case anyone's wondering.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony Stark was many things. Billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, scientist, hero–– </p>
<p>None of them mattered after the snap. He couldn’t even breathe when he thought of that last one. He’d lost half the universe. He couldn’t bring himself to put the full Iron Man suit back on after his return to Earth, though he wasn't sure if that was more physical or mental. </p>
<p>Not to mention the sheer havoc being in space wreaked on his body. He already knew it was damage that would cost him weeks in recovery without the remaining Avengers breathing down his neck.</p>
<p>The weeks-old restlessness, the feeling of being trapped that wouldn’t go away, was what brought him here in the first place. </p>
<p>Tony was half-listening to the young woman leading him around her property. She was trying to give him a tour of the riding facility, discussing the regular lesson program as well as the therapeutic offerings –– he’d argued with Pepper and Rhodey he didn’t need physical therapy, yet here he was –– but all he could see were traces of that damn snap. </p>
<p>Teenagers of varying ages with lines on their faces to match their boss’s were cleaning stalls, filling buckets, and generally not talking unless they had to; the horses that were kept inside seemed to wilt, sniffing at empty stalls where their neighbors had once lived; and the horses outside in the fields clumped together in groups even he knew were smaller than they should have been. </p>
<p>His little family got so damn lucky. </p>
<p>“We can schedule your first session later in the week, if you’d like.”</p>
<p>“Hmm? Oh, sure.” Somehow they were back at the lobby that held the offices. His muscles ached, still not used to being on his feet for this long, but he glanced toward the rows of stalls again. “I’ll get in touch again later. Do you… am I alright just to stay for a bit?”</p>
<p>The mid-thirties blonde flashed the ghost of a smile. “Even mourning, it is peaceful here, huh?” She gestured to the sign leading back into the aisle. “Just don’t touch any of the herd without one of our volunteers. They’re all the gentlest horses you’ll ever meet, but they do still have minds of their own.” She called a hello to one of the younger-looking girls coming up the aisle before ducking into her office. </p>
<p>When the girl stopped in her tracks, so did the horse she was leading. Some of the dullness in her eyes brightened. “You… you’re Tony Stark.”</p>
<p>“The very same.” He slowly walked closer, hyperaware of the horse’s ears flicking in his direction. He nodded to it. “Who is this?” </p>
<p>A light reddish brown with black mane and tail –– which he’d later learn was a variation of bay, among everything else he needed to know about horses –– the animal seemed to lower its head as she scratched at its chin. “He doesn’t have a name yet, actually. I’ve just been calling him Bud.” She reached the hand not holding his lead toward Tony. “I’m Riley, by the way.”</p>
<p>“Let me guess,” he started, shaking her hand. “Lost his owner in the snap, and family can’t take care of him.”</p>
<p>Riley dipped her head slightly. “We trailered him off their farm a couple days ago. Kate’s hoping we can find him a new home. Excuse me for a second.” The horse only started moving when she did. </p>
<p>Still keeping some distance as they walked into one of the empty stalls, Tony followed. There was white on his face, a blaze marking similar to most of the others he’d seen, but that wasn’t what caught his attention. White also trailed along his front legs from his knees to hooves in several twisting, semi-broken lines that reminded him of webs. </p>
<p>“Why not just keep him here?” he asked suddenly. </p>
<p>The girl said nothing while latching the gate, but he could see the wheels turning in her mind. “Our boarders have enough on their plates as it is, and Kate doesn’t think it’s smart to get another lesson horse right now.” She loved the animal already, though. He could tell.</p>
<p>When that day on Titan flashed in his mind, he felt a too-big nose pressing at his chest without touching his nanotech. Tony’s stomach twisted. “I can adopt him.” Her eyebrows shot upward. “But I don’t know the first thing about taking care of him.”</p>
<p>“Are you serious?” He rubbed at the horse’s forehead wordlessly. Riley twisted a lock from her ponytail around her finger. “I, uh… I’d be happy to help you. If you want. And if Kate says it’s okay.”</p>
<p>“How old are you?”</p>
<p>“Fourteen, but I’ve been riding since I was eight,” she replied instantly. “Volunteering officially for about a year, if you don’t count cleaning random stalls to help my parents pay for lessons.”</p>
<p>If she was going to be around anyway, he certainly felt better about what he was doing. “Good, you’re hired.” He turned toward the offices again to go make it official. “And Ri?” He paused long enough to glance over his shoulder at her. His breath caught, but at least he was still breathing. “His new name’s Parker.”</p>
<p> ..... </p>
<p>It took the following week for Parker to get a nameplate. Tony had given Riley his number once he worked out his agreement with Kate, and a written contract cemented it two days later. She kept him updated on what she did with Parker each day he wasn’t there for physical therapy, even sending a couple selfies that reminded him of another fourteen-year-old on his first trip to Europe. </p>
<p>Tony was not expecting to see a show name at the top of that brass plate with “Parker” inscribed underneath. He hadn’t wanted to think of one, although he never actually admitted that when Kate asked him about it. </p>
<p>While he stared, Riley came out of a stall farther down the aisle and smiled tentatively at him. “Hey, Mr. Stark.”</p>
<p>“You do this?” He couldn’t decide if he was exasperated or pleased. </p>
<p>That smile faltered the slightest bit. “He’s such a good boy, I didn’t want him to feel left out because everyone else has a show name and he wouldn’t since you said no…” She stuck her hands in the pockets of her denim riding pants, seeming to shrink into herself. “And I couldn’t help myself with the pun,” she admitted more quietly. </p>
<p>The longer he read it, the more it grew on him. Parker bobbed his head in the stall as if he knew what Tony was thinking, and he sighed. “Alright, Stark Reality,” the billionaire said, pulling a mint from his pocket. “You better not make me regret this.”</p>
<p>Riley was grinning as she moved to help him get his tack. </p>
<p> ..... </p>
<p>Four years after the snap, and with so much of her life spent in the barn, Riley made a point to consider only local colleges so she could stay close. Tony had mentioned shipping Parker to wherever she ended up if she didn’t stay home, but she and Pepper both pointed out that he needed Parker, too.</p>
<p>They knew he meant it, because he also didn’t hesitate to pay to move Parker around for horse shows when she asked. Eventually she and Kate just started giving him dates instead of asking directly. And he was right there at the fence line every time, with his daughter watching them through wide eyes. </p>
<p>Morgan had the family stubbornness, something Riley found out early on when Tony asked her to babysit, as well as her father’s uncanny speed to learn new things. She became a staple of their routine every time Tony showed up to ride, even if she wasn’t allowed to do anything alone. Nobody at the riding center argued with Morgan that she was too young to ride when the four-year-old decided she was ready –– their insurance covered ages three and up, not that they told Morgan that –– and Kate even let Riley “teach” her under supervision some days. It wasn’t real teaching, but it made both of them happy. </p>
<p>Five years after the snap, the new normal everyone created was turned upside-down. </p>
<p>The last thing Riley was expecting that October was a voicemail from Tony asking her to keep looking out for Morgan and Parker. No details, no hint of what he was doing –– just to promise him, even belatedly, to take care of his family. She couldn’t help wondering if he called her in the middle of the night because he was working on a project again, if he wanted to keep some sort of extra barrier between them for that conversation, or both. He didn’t pick up when she tried to call him back. </p>
<p>She knew more about the Avengers than was ever published in the news, just as he and Pepper knew about the family and friends she’d lost, but she still had no idea what happened until she heard about the Battle of Earth the same way as everyone else. </p>
<p>Riley was pretty sure she never called Pepper or Happy so fast in her life.</p>
<p>The barn held its own memorial for Tony, who’d also ended up being one of their biggest sponsors over the years. If Parker was surprised at the increase in hugs he got each day following the Battle, it was hard to tell –– although it was obvious he liked the extra treats in his food tub.</p>
<p>Riley kept her word to the billionaire, going so far as to send their silly selfies and “through the ears” pictures to Pepper to let her decide whether or not to show Morgan. They and Happy stayed away for a few weeks after Tony’s death, but she had faith they were coming back. </p>
<p>Pepper still answered her texts, even if it was in a different capacity than before. And she shared the screenshots from Parker’s former owner with their barn group chat. Everyone agreed Parker should stay in his new home, as long as he had a family that loved him. The old owner was even thrilled to see he’d been showing during the Blip, alongside his work as Tony's therapy horse. </p>
<p>Finally, one Saturday that November, a familiar black town car sat in the dirt parking lot, bringing a smile to the nineteen-year-old’s face. She waved to Happy as she parked her truck. There were no immediate signs of Morgan as she got out, but a brunet she vaguely recognized from his pictures sat close to the barn doors with two tabbies fighting for attention in his lap. </p>
<p>“Morris and Sibyl seem to like you,” she greeted. His attention snapped up to her, a question written under visible grief. “We’re all friendly here, even those fuzz-balls. Don’t worry.” She smiled gently. “It’s Peter, right?”</p>
<p>Before he could reply, there was a barely-contained shout of “Riley!” She turned to see Morgan speed-walking from the direction of the bathrooms. Neither cat moved when she jogged the final couple of steps to hug Riley’s waist. “Mommy told me you’ve been taking care of Parker all alone, but I said that wasn’t fair, so Peter and I came to help you!” The darker Sibyl broke away from Morgan’s companion to rub against her legs. Morgan was quick to reach down to pet her, too. “He didn’t want to come, but I told him Parker would be sad if he didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, munchkin.” Riley ruffled her hair before moving to help Peter to his feet. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she added softly. </p>
<p>His breath seemed to catch in his throat as he brushed some of the dirt off his jeans. “Thanks,” he rasped, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, too. Happy told me how much this 'barn family' meant to him.”</p>
<p>Tony used to have that same look, like it was his fault for not stopping things before they got too bad. She softened even more. “Thanks. And, uh, Pepper can give you my number if you ever need someone to talk to. Or I could before you leave, if you want.” Morgan grabbed at her hand, again before he could say anything, and Riley just nodded toward the path leading around the building. “But first, I’m sure Parker would love to meet his namesake. Even if it interrupts his turnout time.” </p>
<p>“Can I show Peter our jumping today? We were getting really good at it.”</p>
<p>Jumping being an operative word, as Morgan only ever rode through a set of poles lifted just a few inches from the ground on special blocks. “I don’t think Miss Kate wants anything set up in the ring today, munchkin. Why don’t we show him how well we have to groom before shows instead?” She glanced at him to check if that was alright. </p>
<p>“Yeah, Mor.” Peter seemed to brighten at Morgan’s enthusiasm. “I can’t be much help later on if I don’t know what I’m doing.”</p>
<p>Morgan looked ready to duck between the boards of the fence when they reached Parker’s field, but a sharp whistle from Riley had the bay gelding coming to them instead. </p>
<p>“You know you still can’t walk him without one of us,” she warned Morgan, even as the girl reached for the lead tied to the gate. </p>
<p>Neither one of them got far as Parker nudged at his namesake over the fence. “You have to give him his cookie,” Morgan laughed. “Like this.” She demonstrated how she flattened her palm with a homemade horse treat of her own. </p>
<p>“Ah, now I know why he’s missed you so much,” Riley teased, clipping the lead to his halter. “You spoil him more than we do.” </p>
<p>It was only after she led the horse out and stopped him next to Morgan that Peter noticed the web-like patterns on his front legs, even with some of the mud dried there. A hollow laugh escaped Peter’s throat. “Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t your markings, Park.” He patted the horse’s neck from the right side, his two companions walking on the left. </p>
<p>Riley managed to smile at him over the horse’s neck. “If it makes you feel better, Tony didn’t, either.”</p>
<p>The smog he’d felt in his mind was still there by the time he and Morgan returned to the car, but he could see through it again. And he understood why, out of everything, Tony Stark decided to add a horse to his life. </p>
<p>Next time Morgan invited him, he would be more than happy to tag along. </p>
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